"Witch Hunt 2018" Article

5/23/2018

Seattle-based non-profit Skate Like a Girl has hosted the Wheels of Fortune (WOF) weekend for nearly a decade. Over the years, WOF has grown from a tiny one-day girls’ comp to a women’s skateboarding weekend-long festival, bringing the community together and becoming a way for any girl skater across the globe to make a name for herself. As a result, over 100 of the best rippers from around the world show up from as far as Japan, Brazil, Russia and beyond. Since everyone travels so far to attend, the Northwest’s own Skate Witches thought it would be a good idea to entertain everyone the day before the main competition with a silly skate-centric scavenger hunt; thus, the Witch Hunt was born.

At this year’s 3rd annual event, the action started with a meet up at the Lower Woodland Skatepark where an international crowd of gals dominated the space to warm up and form their squads. Around noon, everyone was called together and confetti was shot into the air to announce the official start of the day. All 18 teams were then unleashed into the streets to skate iconic Seattle spots, giggle uncontrollably and eat bananas in non-traditional ways. After Witch Hunting all day, everyone met back up at the Cal Anderson courts to turn in their score cards. After a quick skate session, the rain came so we all went over to 35th North skateshop for awards, food and a Gnarhunters pop-up shop. Afterwards, we capped the night off by watching the new Elissa Steamer Documentary, Timeless Areas by Beth O’Rourke. If you were there, have a look through these photos to reminisce. If not, just pretend you were there!

Lacey Baker took a quick nap in front of the crew prior to the launch of Witch Hunt 2018 Photo: Norma Ibarra

“2-4-6-8 who is really hyped to skate?” Team WERK huddled up for a quick cheer before hitting the streets of Seattle Photo: Norma Ibarra

Team WERK Captain Alex White found the easiest challenges and scored the most points while her henchwomen looked very serious Photo: Norma Ibarra

Challenge: “Whole Team shotguns a LaCroix.” Team WERK shotgunned Soleil. Is it a make? Judges? Photo: Norma Ibarra

The first stop for a few of the teams were the dirt jumps adjacent to the skatepark, where the challenge was to complete some type of flip trick. Inside sources say that in a true display of sportswomanship, everyone was patient and there was no snaking Photo: Olga Aguilar

Nora Vasconcellos flicked this earthy quarterpipe kickflip. She scored a few quick points for Nannies with Attitude with this dirty ditty Photo: Zorah Olivia

Lizzie Armanto showed off a perfect buttboard drop in to score a few early points for Team WERK Photo: Norma Ibarra

Nora reads some challenges for the next generation of team members, Stella Reynolds and Dahlia Lundquist Photo: Zorah Olivia

Climbing up the face walls of giant ramps sure paid off for Nora during the “Leticia’s Lift” challenge, which was doing ten push-ups in your bra, followed by a tré flip Photo: Zorah Olivia

Lizzie had no issue performing this sans-Vans backside disaster at Judkins Skatepark to add digits to Team WERK’s score Photo: Olga Aguilar

Nicole Hause got the last word in before biting her teammate’s style for the “Nora Challenge”—doing a backside air wearing purple Photo: Zorah Olivia

Stella swiftly gained speed at Seattle Vert Ramp Photo: Zorah Olivia

Team WERK showed their support all day long with fist bumps like these Photo: Norma Ibarra

They also had gentle high fives on lock Photo: Norma Ibarra

Team WERK from left to right: Breana Geering, Jenn Soto, Mariah Duran, Dayana Young and Lizzie Armanto Photo: Norma Ibarra

Team WERK, baby! Photo: Norma Ibarra

Vancouver legend Rose “Skater Rosie” Archer was down to get covered in Ketchup to squeeze in some last-minute points for Team WERK Photo: Norma Ibarra

After getting kicked out of the store, Lizzie successfully swooned security into posing for a snapshot Photo: Norma Ibarra

Kat Sy encourages her teammates to "skate spoon" while a bro in the background wonders where all the girl shredders came from Photo: Norma Ibarra

The giggly gals of Nannies With Attitude stopped by the iconic Seattle Central double set to rack up some final points before calling it a day Photo: Zorah Olivia

After seven whole hours of scaring the boys of Seattle, the Witch Hunt teams met up at the Cal Anderson tennis courts for the Sage Williams Memorial Skate Jam where Dayana put a hurting on this QP Photo: Norma Ibarra

Pawnshop Skate Co of Covina has always been big in supporting the community. Pawn is their newest video focusing on the next generation of young talent. Shop employee Ray Gabaldon not only skated in this video but also edited the whole damn thing too. That's servicing the community!